Harry E. Figgie Jr.

Photo Credit: (C. Jones’ Photostream) The Brookings Institution recently conducted a study that analyzed the kinds of jobs that replace manufacturing jobs in American cities. Here are some of the highlights from the report. wo-thirds (76) of the 114 metropolitan areas, mostly in the Midwest, performed worse than the nation as a whole in both [...]

The AP addresses the widespread misconception that the United States is “losing” the manufacturing competition to China and other countries. America remains by far the No. 1 manufacturing country. It out-produces No. 2 China by more than 40 percent. U.S. manufacturers cranked out nearly $1.7 trillion in goods in 2009, according to the United Nations. [...]

The LA Times reports that manufacturing in California is recovering. California’s unemployment rate ticked up to 12.5% in December, but there were some bright spots. Namely the manufacturing sector, which has expanded against all odds. According to data released Friday by the Employment Development Department, average weekly hours in manufacturing rose to 41 in December, [...]

(Photo Credit: Michigan Municipal League) Carter Wood, writing at The Shop Floor, provides a nice summary of Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s first State of the State address. He writes Snyder, a Republican, specifically mentioned manufacturers just twice, both times in a phrase to describe the private sector in the state. But he certainly discussed many [...]

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, manufacturing activity in the Empire State sped up in January. The link to the full article is here. – The Editors

(Photo Credit: White House Photostream) Alliance for American Manufacturing Executive Director Scott Paul has an op-ed in The Hill today in which he argues that the president must focus on manufacturing in his upcoming State of the Union address. While we dawdle, China dawns. China will file more patents this year than America. China may, [...]

(Photo Credit: Riverrat18′s Photostream) The Lancaster Eagle-Gazette has a somewhat optimistic article about Ohio’s manufacturing prospects. About half as many people were making goods in Ohio in 2009 as were doing so 50 years before, according to federal industry employment figures. The crown jewel of Ohio’s manufacturing sector, motor vehicle production, is not what it [...]

(Photo Credit: seller+seller’s photostream) The Institute for Supply Management’s Manufacturing Index was 57 in December – the 17th consecutive month that the index has indicated growth in the sector. Here is the story from CNN Money. – The Editors

(Photo Credit: GS1311′s Photostream) Daily Finance runs down the top 10 growth industries for 2011. Among those industries selected are automobile and aluminum manufacturing. The article can be read here. – The Editors

(Photo Credit: Center for Neighborhood Technology) United States Energy Secretary Steven Chu, speaking at the National Press Club, said yesterday that the United States must act to reverse the decline of its manufacturing competitiveness. The US is gradually losing ground to India and China in research and high-tech manufacturing, a top Obama Administration official has [...]